7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Second installment of the two-part film based on the true story of France's infamous public enemy during the 70s, Jacques Mesrine. He lead a life of bank robberies and high-profile kidnappings, escaped from prison twice, and was said to have killed at least 39 people.
Starring: Vincent Cassel, Ludivine Sagnier, Mathieu Amalric, Gérard Lanvin, Samuel Le BihanDrama | 100% |
Crime | 67% |
Foreign | 54% |
Thriller | 33% |
Biography | 26% |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Wait a minute—aren’t cliffhangers supposed to come at the end of movies or episodes? So much transpired in the first installment of the riveting two part French gangster opus Mesrine that some viewers may be momentarily disconcerted to find themselves at the gruesome denouement of a cliffhanger set up in the opening segment of the first film, a segment which is then left behind in the dust of a long, involved recounting of the infamous French criminal’s “rise” to being named his country’s Public Enemy Number 1. That soubriquet in fact informs this second installment in the Mesrine story, and the film spends most of its time on a whirlwind tour of some the greater exploits of the main part of Mesrine’s criminal career, including several prison escapes which are as completely improbable as anything that happens in I Love You Phillip Morris, another film recently culled from real life reviewed here at Blu-ray.com which involves crazy prison breaks. Unlike Phillip Morris, however, which clothes its illegal activity in a certain naïve sweetness, Mesrine is all machismo and bluster, as Jacques Mesrine makes it clear he’s playing for keeps, whether that involves robbing a bank, bedding a “moll,” or, yes, busting out of prison. If anything this second part of Mesrine is even more visceral and exciting than the first. We already know the character, we’re aware he’s a ruthless, if sometimes surprisingly charming, “blue collar” criminal who somehow captures the French public’s fancy even after he goes on several murderous rampages. Mesrine is also inarguably an insecure narcissist, a man-child who flies off the handle when his arrest is relegated to the back pages of the newspaper when the coup d’état involving Augusto Pinochet is deemed more worthy of the front page and a 50-point headline font.
The aftermath.
Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1, as with Killer Instinct, sports a very sharp looking AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.34:1. Though this longish film is offered on a single layer 25G Blu-ray disc, there are no egregiously noticeable compression artifacts to be found, and indeed the image is crisp, clear and very well detailed. This second installment is noticeably darker than the first outing, and at times contrast is not quite robust enough, leading to some very minor crushing in the darkest sequences. Otherwise, though, this is a great looking transfer that offers richly saturated color and wonderful fine detail, especially in the close-ups. Richet's location footage looks fantastic, with some great aerial shots of the French countryside that offer beautifully variegated palettes and abundant detail.
As with Killer Instinct, while there is an above-average English dub included on this release, I recommend sticking with the original French language track, delivered here via an excellent lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. Public Enemy No. 1 benefits from several incredibly exciting chase sequences, which involve some impressive immersive aspects, and there are also numerous shootouts, all of which feature extremely robust LFE. While the chase sequences offer a panoply of exciting sound effects ricocheting around the surrounds, there's also very nice attention paid during relatively quieter moments. The opening scene involving hordes of reporters has extremely natural ambient crowd sounds filling the surrounds, and, later, when Mesrine is in one of his many prison cells, the palpably claustrophobic sounds of the prison are appropriately muted and almost surreal sounding. Dialogue is delivered cleanly and clearly. There's not a wealth of underscore here, which is actually a good thing, but dialogue, effects and the minimal score are all mixed expertly and the track bristles with abundant energy and spot on fidelity.
Unfortunately those hoping that the supplements included on the international editions of this film are going to be dissapointed. Only the Trailer (as well as other Music Box previews) is included.
As with Killer Instinct, we don't get a lot of psychobabble, either about Mesrine or indeed about his many collaborators and enablers through the years. Instead we get one slam bang (emphasis on the bang) moment after another, highlighted by a string of completely improbable, but brilliantly staged, escape sequences, several of which contain some impressive car chases which are wonderfully filmed by Richet. There are some passing moments of remorse at least hinted at in Public Enemy No. 1, but this is a calculated depiction of an iconic criminal which, while perhaps not glamorizing its subject, doesn't want to explore any psychological nooks and crannies either. Be that as it may, Public Enemy No. 1 is a virtually nonstop thrill ride, one of the most exciting gangster films in recent cinema history, and it offers a knockout performance by Vincent Cassel. Highly recommended.
Part 1 / Mesrine: l'instinct de mort
2008
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